Texas makes it official, names Strong football coach

Charlie Strong has been named the 29th football coach at Texas, men’s athletic director Steve Patterson announced Sunday.

Strong will be introduced at a Monday news conference.

“I’m excited and my family is excited to have the chance to lead one of the premier football programs in the country,” Strong said in a written statement. “Texas is one of those places that is always on your radar and a program anyone would dream of being a part of because you have a chance to compete on a national level every year. It’s special because it has such great history, pride, tradition and passion for football.”

Strong has spent the past four seasons at Louisville, where he was 37-15 with Big East championships in 2010 and 2012. He was 3-1 in bowl games, including a victory over No. 4 Florida in the 2013 Sugar Bowl.

“Charlie is a man of great integrity, with a wonderful family, who is well respected inside and outside the game,” Patterson said in a written statement. “He is committed to the development of the total student-athlete both on and off the field.”

Louisville finished 12-1 this past season and beat Miami 36-9 in the Russell Athletic Bowl. The Cardinals are 23-3 the past two seasons.

“To follow a future Hall of Fame coach like Mack Brown, who built a program that had great success and a reputation of doing it with class and integrity, is extra special,” Strong said in the statement. “The National Championship, BCS Bowl wins and all he accomplished in 16 years built on the Longhorn legacy and makes it such an exciting place to be.

“Coach Brown developed such a strong bond with his players, the lettermen, community and high school coaches in this state, and that’s something I hope to build on. He made everyone feel at home. I had the opportunity to speak at the High School Coaches Clinic in Austin a few years ago and Coach Brown introduced Coach (Darrell) Royal, and everyone gave him a standing ovation. Meeting Coach Royal and being around him that day is something I’ll never forget.”

This past season, Louisville led the nation in total defense (251.5 yards per game) and was 25th in scoring offense (35.2 points per game).

Strong spent seven seasons as the defensive coordinator at Florida under Urban Meyer from 2005-09 and worked for Lou Holtz at Notre Dame and South Carolina.

Other stops included one season at Texas A&M in 1985 as a graduate assistant. Then he moved to Southern Illinois as wide receivers coach from 1986-87. He was a receivers coach at Ole Miss in 1990 and the defensive line caoch at Notre Dame from 1995-98.

He is a native of Batesville, Ark., and was a four-year letter winner (1980-83) and three-time all-conference safety at Central Arkansas. He and his wife, Vicki, have a son, Tory, and two daughters, Hailee and Hope.